NATIONAL MARINE RESEARCH VESSELS...MOB/DEMOB TIMES MAY VARY DEPENDING ON NATURE OF SURVEY AND OTHER REQUIRED MOBILISATION ACTIVITIES. WHILE EFFORTS WILL BE MADE TO FACILITATE EARLY

NATIONAL MARINE RESEARCH VESSELS

VESSEL CHARTER GUIDELINES 2021 - 2022

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1. INTRODUCTION

The Marine Institute operates the national marine research fleet (RV Celtic Explorer, RV Celtic Voyager and ROV Holland I) on behalf of the Irish Government and the Irish marine community, on a charter basis. The Research Vessels Operations team within the Marine Institute manage and monitor all aspects of ship-

time scheduling to ensure the efficient operation and implementation of all survey programmes in the Celtic Explorer and Celtic Voyager schedules.

The call for vessel charters for 2021 and for 2022 is now open and we are inviting a broad range of organisations to apply for ship-time, for research, development or monitoring purposes. These include

government departments and agencies, universities, research institutes and industry.

Further information on the Marine Institute’s Research Vessels is available on our website:

The following provides information on the terms of vessel charter and the application procedure.

Applicants may seek grant-aid to cover all or part of the vessel charter costs for Research Surveys

or Ship-Based Training Programmes.

For information on eligibility for grant-aid and additional application requirements please click

here:

Applications for grant-aid are being accepted for 2021 (Voyager only). Applications for grant-aid for 2022 will need to be submitted in 2021, when next year’s funding call opens.

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2. WHEN APPLYING FOR SHIP-TIME, PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING POINTS

2.1 Ship-time requests for 2021 and 2022 must be submitted via Research Vessel Operations’ online Survey Planning System. Please contact RV Ops ([email protected]) to obtain a username and

password to logon to the SPS. Ship-time applications will only be considered on the basis of completed applications being submitted by 17:00 on Thursday 10th September 2020 (See Section

7 for further details). Co-operative survey/training programmes, involving a range of scientific disciplines that maximise the usage of vessel time, will be more favourably regarded. When completing the SPS application form, please bear in mind the following:

i. Form should be completed in full.

ii. Please provide as much information as possible. iii. You are required to clearly demonstrate the objectives of the proposed survey

programme. Commitments to international organisations such as ICES should also be

mentioned. An attempt must be made to provide relevant information here and this should not be confined to a general statement such as ‘contribution towards scientific knowledge’.

iv. Please attach a preliminary survey programme including a work schedule and any relevant maps outlining the proposed survey area.

v. Applicants applying for grant-aid to cover vessel charter costs must refer to the Grant-Aid Guidelines for additional requirements. These are available to download from the Ship Time Programme 2021 page on the Marine Institute Website.

2.2. Users should always bear in mind that vessel transits over a working year can take a considerable

amount of time and expense and users should consult with colleagues who may wish to work

within the same geographical area to increase operational efficiency of the vessels.

2.3 While the Marine Institute will always endeavour to give each vessel user the timeslot that they request, this is not always possible. A detailed ship-time schedule will be drawn up and circulated in late 2020 and vessel users will be asked to confirm via SPS that they are satisfied with the

timeslot allocated to them. Once agreed, any changes from original requests cannot be guaranteed.

2.4 All non-commercial users of the Marine Institute’s research vessels will be charged a daily rate during 2021 as per the table below. The cost may be revised in 2022.

Celtic Explorer Celtic Voyager €19,000 €8,500

This will cover the cost of crewing, basic equipment requirements, victualling and fuel*. Users will be charged for any additional costs (e.g. cranage or transportation costs) incurred by the Marine

Institute whilst preparing for or undertaking the survey. These additional charges will be passed on to the client at cost.

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* Users are advised that the Celtic Explorer’s normal mode of operation is with one main engine operating in “silent mode”. This is the most fuel efficient mode of operation for passage and

survey. A second engine can be employed at the master’s discretion in inclement weather to maintain a minimum speed of 7/8 Knots during passage and as required during trawling

operations, and in the event of an emergency. If vessel users require vessel speeds in excess of that available above, this should be flagged with RV Ops in advance. If increased passage speeds beyond those highlighted above are required during the course of a survey the Chief Scientist

should discuss with the master who will discuss with shore based management. Please note the following Terms and Conditions:

IN THE EVENT OF ADVERSE WEATHER THE FULL DAY RATE WILL APPLY.

IN THE EVENT OF USER EQUIPMENT FAILURE, THE FULL DAY RATE WILL APPLY.

NORMALLY, 24 HOURS IS ALLOTTED AT THE START OF EACH SURVEY TO ALLOW SUFFICIENT TIME FOR MOBILISATION WHICH INCLUDES; LOADING AND INSTALLATION OF VESSEL AND USER EQUIPMENT, CREW CHANGES, BUNKERING, REFUELLING AND OTHER

MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES AS REQUIRED. DEPENDING ON THE EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SURVEY ADDITIONAL MOBILISATION DAYS MAY BE REQUIRED AND THIS CAN BE AGREED AT PRE CRUISE PLANNING PHASE.

24 HOURS IS ALLOTTED AT THE END OF EACH SURVEY TO ALLOW SUFFICIENT TIME FOR DEMOBILISATION WHICH INCLUDES; LOADING AND INSTALLATION OF VESSEL AND USER

EQUIPMENT, CREW CHANGES, BUNKERING, REFUELLING AND OTHER MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES AS REQUIRED.

USERS MAY BE REQUIRED TO ACCOMMODATE THE MOBILISATION OF EQUIPMENT FOR

THE NEXT USER DURING THEIR DEMOBILISATION DAY IN ORDER TO HELP MINIMISE MOBILISATION TIMES.

MOB/DEMOB TIMES MAY VARY DEPENDING ON NATURE OF SURVEY AND OTHER

REQUIRED MOBILISATION ACTIVITIES.

WHILE EFFORTS WILL BE MADE TO FACILITATE EARLY DEPARTURE AND/OR LATE ARRIVAL,

THIS CANNOT ALWAYS BE GUARANTEED AND USERS SHOULD PLAN ACCORDINGLY.

SURVEYS ON THE CELTIC EXPLORER EXCEEDING 30 DAYS WILL HAVE ONE 24HR PORT CALL; THIS HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THE ABOVE RATE.

SURVEYS ON THE CELTIC VOYAGER THAT EXCEED 14 DAYS WILL REQUIRE A PORT CALL.

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3. OPERATIONAL INFORMATION

3.1 Equipment requirements should be clearly indicated and limited to those actually needed. Allocation of certain items of equipment will be at the Marine Institute’s discretion. Modification to, or unauthorised use of, equipment is forbidden. Vessel users should consult with Research

Vessel Operations well in advance of a programme in order to ensure that requirements are clearly understood. Please note that vessel users’ equipment and third party equipment used by the vessel user is carried and operated on the vessels at the equipment owner’s risk.

3.2 When planning a programme, scientists must bear in mind that the services supplied by the vessels

and associated personnel are not unlimited and should be confined to a purely support role. Non-vessel equipment logistics are the responsibility of the scientist.

3.3 If there is an intention to deploy any type of mooring equipment the Chief Scientist should submit a detailed description of the mooring rig and the proposed nature and location of deployment to the Research Vessel Operations 3 months in advance of the programme. The Chief Scientist should

also arrange to have appropriate Marine Notices circulated. This can be done by contacting the

Maritime Safety Directorate, Dept. of Transport and Marine (http://www.dttas.ie/maritime). A

foreshore licence may be required for certain deployment activities and it will be the responsibility of the applicant to secure an appropriate licence if applicable.

3.4 If it is intended to carry out research onboard the vessel in foreign waters, a minimum notification of 7 months must be given. An ‘Application for the Consent to Conduct Marine

Scientific Research in foreign waters’ must be completed. Forms can be obtained by contacting Research Vessel Operations or downloaded from the Marine Institute website using the

following link: http://www.marine.ie/Home/site-area/infrastructure-facilities/research-vessels/vessel-user-information .

3.5 If it is intended to carry out research within the boundaries of the offshore marine SACs, vessel users must complete an application for marine scientific research within the Offshore SACs which is available from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (www.npws.ie), Dept. of the

Environment, Heritage and Local Government (and on the SPS system). Applicants must also be aware of the possible requirement to complete a notifiable action form or to seek clearance for certain activities within the inshore SACs. Please contact the National Parks and Wildlife Service

(http://www.npws.ie/marine/) for further information on the exact locations of the sites and the details of the specific nature of the protected habitats and for permission to carry out marine

scientific research within these areas. 3.6 If it is intended to use seismic equipment or multi-beam or acoustic survey equipment in any

bays, estuaries or inlets then the vessel users must refer to the NPWS’ Guidance to Manage the Risk to Marine Mammals from Man-made Sound Sources in Irish Waters available at this link:

http://www.npws.ie/marine/best-practice-guidelines. This may require risk assessment of

your operations and use of mitigation procedures during your survey.

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4. THE HOLLAND 1 DEEPWATER ROV

The Marine Institute operates a 3000m rated deepwater ROV system. The ROV can be operated from the Celtic Explorer and may also be operated from other appropriate vessels, subject to

Research Vessel Operations’ approval.

All users of the Marine Institute’s ROV will be charged a daily rate during 2021/22 as per the table

below.

ROV Service €7,000 Research Operations €15,000 Mob/De Mob

Further information and technical specifications for the Marine Institute’s Deepwater ROV is

available at: http://www.marine.ie/Home/site-area/infrastructure-facilities/research-vessels/deepwater-rov

5. “Laochra na Mara” and “Aisling na Mara” gliders.

The Marine Institute operate two 1000m rated Teledyne Webb /Slocum gliders “Laochra na

Mara” (G3) and “Aisling na Mara” (G3) which are available to the user community for Oceanographic surveys. The Gliders can be operated from the Celtic Explorer or Celtic Voyager and may also be operated from other appropriate vessels, subject to Research Vessel

Operations’ approval. The system is capable of operating for up to 90 days autonomously whilst collecting CTD and other data to depths of 1000m.

Further information and technical specifications for the Marine Institute’s Gliders is available at:

https://www.marine.ie/Home/site-area/infrastructure-facilities/research-vessels/gliders

6. CHIEF SCIENTISTS’ RESPONSIBILITIES

6.1 The Chief Scientist will receive a copy of the Vessel User Guidelines s upon allocation of ship time and it is his/her responsibility to ensure that each member of the scientific complement reads

them. Each member of the scientific party must sign a form to indicate that they have read and agree to abide by the guidelines on boarding the vessel. Copies of the guidelines are also available onboard the vessel.

6.2 A Safety Familiarisation briefing will take place on board the vessel before each survey

commences. It is the Chief Scientist’s responsibility to ensure that each member of the scientific

complement attends.

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6.3 The Chief Scientist should ensure that all scientific personnel have undergone a medical assessment in accordance with the ENG 11 medical standard for those working at sea and that all

scientists present their original up-to-date ENG 11 certificate on boarding the vessel. A list of certified medical practitioners who undertake the ENG11 medical can be found at

http://www.marine.ie/Home/site-area/infrastructure-facilities/research-vessels/vessel-user-information

If a scientist joining the survey is pregnant, she must obtain doctor’s clearance to participate in the survey, which should include details of work involved and distance from the shore.

The chief scientist should also circulate the RV Ops pre survey medical form for completion to all their scientific personnel intending to sail on the vessel. This form should be returned to the email

address on the form and further information may be sought by RV Ops depending on the existence and nature of any medical issues.

6.4 The Chief Scientist should ensure that all scientific personnel have completed a Personal Sea

Survival Techniques course (or equivalent STCW 95 compliant) before participating on scientific programmes. Details of organisations offering personal survival techniques courses can be obtained by contacting Research Vessel Operations or downloaded at the following link:

http://www.marine.ie/Home/site-area/infrastructure-facilities/research-vessels/vessel-user-information

Please note, all scientists joining the Celtic Explorer will be required to undertake further

training in Ship’s Security Awareness. Chief Scientists will be informed of this in advance of the

survey.

6.5 In the event of proposed use of any hazardous materials/chemicals the Chief Scientist should advise the Vessel Manager in writing and ensure that appropriate transport, storage and usage

methods are adhered to. The Chief Scientist should also bring Material Safety Data Sheets on-board during mobilisation.

6.6 The Chief Scientist should be aware of the crewing requirements for each vessel and take these into account when preparing sailing instructions.

Note: In the event of a global Pandemic or similar health emergency a smaller scientific

compliment may be specified for each vessel and this will be communicated to all chief scientists.

The Celtic Explorer can accommodate a total of 35 people; the crewing requirements for various activities are given below.

Type of Survey Crew Scientists

Passive Survey 13 22

Fishing Survey 15 20

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ROV Survey* 20-23 13-15

Crewing depends on nature of ROV survey

Surveys requiring deck operations at night require additional crew. Applicants are asked to be as specific as possible in detailing the amount of deck operations required over a 24hr period to allow Research Vessel Operations to determine the exact crewing requirements.

The Celtic Voyager can accommodate a total of 15 people; the crewing requirements for various

activities are given below.

Type of Survey Crew

Scientists

Passive Survey* 12 Hour operations

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Passive Survey 24 Hour operations

7 8

Fishing Survey 12 or 24 operations

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*Passive survey= survey which requires a limited amount of deck operations.

For student training ‘day cruises’ up to 12 students/scientists can be accommodated (without medical or additional training certification) when sailing on voyages within 30 nautical miles of

land and in favourable weather conditions.

6.7 In the event of any difficulty, or reason for complaint while on board, the Chief Scientist should

first address this to the Master of the vessel. In all other circumstances the scientist should contact Research Vessel Operations in the first instance at [email protected] and should refer to the Vessel User Guidelines for information.

6.8 The Chief Scientist will be asked to complete a Post Cruise Appraisal Form on completion of the

cruise. SPS will remind the Chief Scientist to log on and complete this form. Other members of the scientific complement are asked to complete a Customer Satisfaction Form which will be left in their cabins along with the Vessel User Guidelines. A post cruise report must also be submitted

to Research Vessel Operations on completion of the cruise via SPS. 6.9. Researchers are asked to furnish a Survey Report on the Research Survey to the Marine

Institute. This must be submitted, within three months of completion of the Survey, digitally and in hard-copy, using a template provided by the Marine Institute. Users are also asked to submit a

shapefile or csv file with detail of data acquired in the course of a survey also following survey completion

If deemed suitable, the Report, or a Synthesis Report, may be published by the MI.

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7. APPLICATION PROCEDURE & CLOSING DATE

Applications for vessel charter must be submitted using the online Survey Planning System.

The closing date for receipt of ship-time applications is:

17:00 Thursday 10th SEPTEMBER 2020

NOTE: Applicants applying for grant-aid to cover vessel charter costs should note the two-step procedure

involved in this and the need to complete the SPS application in sufficient time as the Application Code is required in order to apply for grant-aid. Refer to the Grant-Aid Guidelines for information.